Form-supporting undergarment



Feb. 1,1927. 1,616,018

H. WINTER FORM SUPPORTING UNDERGARMENT Filed Aug. 27, 1925 7 alli."

F155. INVENTOR.

fz/L ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 1, 1927.

UNTE STTS HELEN LONG Wl'NTEIEt, UF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA..

FORNI-SUPPORTING UIJDERGARMENT.

Application filed August 2"?, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in womens undergarments, and has for one of its objects to provide an article combining in one a brassire, a bust retainer and a hip and buttock retainer, of improved construction and increased utility and efficiency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment combining all the advantages of brassire, a bust coniner, and a hip and buttock conliner, and constructed of two main members only.

`With these and other objects in view the Ainvention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described, and then specifically pointed ont in the claim, and in the drawing .illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved garment with the parts distended.

Figure Q is an enlarged perspective view of the 'improved garment as applied to the wearer.

.Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 represents the terminal portions of the hip and buttock retainer member.

.Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line G-6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. i

The improved garment comprises' a brassire member formed of suitable fabric, represented as a whole at 10, and divided at the lower end to form tabs 11 to which hose supporters, are attached and represented conventionally at 12.

Extending from the upper end of the brassire portion are laterally extending integral portions 13 and 14, adapted to encircle the body beneath the arms and having coacting fastening devices such as hooks and eyes as indicated at 15 and 16.

A plurality of transverse darts are formed in the portion 10 and indicated at 17, and a plurality of stiifening members or vertical stays are attached to the member 10, and indicated at 18, to cause the brassire to conform to the ligure of the wearer.

A reinforcing material, indicated at 20, bears against the inner face of the brassire portion, and preferably extends over the inner face of the tabs, and is attached as at 21 to the side portions of the portion 10, as in dicated in Figures 1 and 2, the material 2O Serial No. 52.788.

L also covering` the stay members 18, andy preventing tliem from abrading the wearer.

Rigidly attached at 22 to one side edge of the portion 10 is a fabric band 23 operative to pass around the hips and buttocks of the wearer, and the free end and the juncture point 22 provided with coacting attachiiig means such as hooks 24 and eyes 25 as shown more clearly in Figure 4.

Shoulder straps of suitable material and represented at tiand 27, are attached at 23 and 29 to the member 1() and at 3() and 31 to the band 23, and cross each other at the back of the wearer when the garment is applied, as represented in Figure 2, the straps operating to hold the garment in place. An important feature is added and advantage gained in this invention by connecting` the shoulder straps to the back of the band 23, as, it will be observed, the rear of tbe band 23 practically carried by the shoulders of the wearer and cannot become displaced und drop down or work loose by moven'lents of the wearer.

The members 10, 13 and 14 are in one piece wliile the band 23 is in a single piece, the body of the .{arnient being in three pieces only including the reinforcing portion 20.

Ylhe brassire portion 1() and its integral bust enclosing portions 13 and 14 and the tabs 11, are bound with tapes 3i., preferably of bias material, while the band portion 23 is likewise bound entirely around by bias tape indicated at 33.

` A dart element is also formed in the band member 23 indicated at 34 intermediate the ends, and reinforced on the inner face of the band with a strip of bias tape as indicated at 35.

The lower edge of the band 23 is further provided with a strip of elastic material, as indicated at 36.

The terminals of the band 23 are curved downwardly as indicated at 37 and 38 to increase the area of the fastening devices 24 and and correspondingly increase length of the portions embraced by the fastening devices, to give greater stability to the band.

The terminals of the members 13 and 14 are supported and reinforced at the ends by strips of tape 39 and 40, while the terminals of the band 23 are likewise reinforced and strengthened by strips of tape 41 and 42.

The terminal portions and 31 of the shoulder straps 26 and 27 are folded over 3 upon themselves as shown in Figure 6, and the end of the strap and the portion of the strap which bears upon the upper binding 83, secured by stitching to the band and its binding, thus providing surplus quantities of the straps to enable them to be lengthened or shortened to adapt the device to the size of the wearer. It will be noted that by conneoting the confining member 23 at one end to one edge of the extension 2l, and coupling the other end of the confining member to the extension at the same edge, the confining member passes bodily over the outer face of the extension and thereby provides a double thickness of the material where the con fining member crosses the extension, thus materially increasing the strength and utility of the garment.

Strips of elastic material indicated at 4A, will preferably be attached to the band member 23, and will be operative to cause the band to yieldably conform more closely to the form of the wearer and to automatically adapt itself to changes in the waist line.

lhile the band 23 is shown attached to the left side of the body 2l, it will be understood. of course, that it may with equal facility be attached to the right side, if preferred.

The improved garment can be made of any suitable material and varied in size to the form of the wearer, and by its use the figure of the wearer will be held well in shape and with comfort and looseness, permitting the wearer to feel well d ressed without the discomfort of the ordinary corset. It will be noted that the lateral extensions of the body decrease in width from their junction with the body leaving the neck and upper back of the wearer uncovered, thus permitting the wearing of the ordinary lowcut evening gowns. It will be further observed that the double thickness of material pressing upon the abdomen of the wearer materially adds to the desired compression thereof. Furthermore, it will be understood that the horizontal hips-encircling member or band 23 acts as a support for the abdomen with greatly increased comfort to many users.

From the tt'oregoing it is believed that the construction, arrangement, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and it is obvious that changes may be resorted to in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

lVhat is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters-Patent is:

A garment of the character described, comprising a body portion having shoulder straps connected with the front thereof, the said body having lateral extensions provided with fastening devices whereby the ends of the said extensions may be joined in detachable relation, the said body having` a middle portion extending downwardly, a band for confining the abdomen, hips and buttocks and arranged horizontally around the wearer, said band being` attached by one end to one side of the downwardly extend ing portion of the body and the other end of the band passingacross the said downwardly extending portion of the body whereby a double thickness of material is pressed against the abdomen of the wearer, the said other end of the band being secured in detachable relation to the saine sid-e of the body portion with the end of the band first inentioned whereby the side-s and back of the wearer are uncovered between the said band and the said extensions of the body of the garment, and the said shoulder straps be ing connected with the rear of the said band to hol d the band in place.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature HELEN LONG VNTER. 

